I got the four part series several years ago before I sold off all my comics in the late 80's. I recently decided to renew my aquaintance with the series upon seeing Christian Bale in "The Dark Knight".

It is sometime in a dystopian future. Batman has disappeared. Batgirl is in a wheelchair somewhere. Robin is dead. Superman defends a corrupt government.

In book I 50 something Bruce Wayne is disturbed by what he sees happening in Gotham City and decides to resurrect The Batman to combat Punk street gangs who have taked over the streets. In the course of fighting he is rescued by Geek Girl Carey Kelley Who becomes the new Robin. In the end he is victorius and finds many imitators among former gang members.

In Book II Harvey Dent is released from Arkham Asylym. Supposably he is cured and has had plastic surgery to restore his face. In the end of what is a great psychological tour de force he reverts to being two face.

In book III The Joker is cured and released from Arkham and his appearance on a certain late night talk show might presage what Leno has in mind for its host. We see retired Selina Kyle put in danger in this one and Batman and the Joker have their final confrontation.

In book IV Batman and Green Arrow team to fight Superman and a corrupt US Government(since this was the late 80's it is Reagan but we're used to comics only showing GOP administrations as corrupt). In the end he loses or does he????

This is a fine set of stories and I agree with someone who said earlier it is like Clint Eastwood's "Unforgiven". I could sorta see Clint play the part if it was made into a movie.

I'd reccomend it for batman and Frank Miller fans.

Let me begin by saying that I'm not a dedicated reader of comics. After seeing Sin City and 300 I gained an interest in Frank Miller so I decided to check out some of his work. I just read 300 and really enjoyed it, but I was not a fan of the Batman: TDK Returns.

My biggest complaint was a cause of constant annoyance while reading the series; the style. It is often difficult to follow the story because it skips around so much and because the animation is often incomprehensible. Some of the slang used throughout the story also makes it unnecessarily difficult to follow. There were several times where it was difficult for me to distinguish what was happening in the story. The story itself is decent enough, but nothing special. I enjoyed a bit of the political commentary, but it was a bit over the top.



I also didn't really like the fact that the reason given for Batman retiring a decade ago was because of Robin dying, but then accepts a 13-year old girl to be his new Robin with barely no explanation. This may just be ignorance on my part since she may be a character from earlier in the series or something (never read any other Batman comics), but I'm assuming since he retired 10 years ago and she is only like 13 that this is not the case. At several times throughout the story Batman also uses guns and rockets, but then preaches to the Sons of Batman group that he leads at the end that they shouldn't use guns.



Batman is a complete hypocrite throughout the story, but it does not seem to be intended. To me, this signifies poor writing. Some of the dialogue is all right, and I did enjoy some of the Frank Miller style narration, but other than that there isn't much I enjoyed about it.

Frank Miller returned Batman to his gritty glory with this piece. For so long in the 60's and 70's the Batman had become tame and cartoony. However Batman returned to his dark roots, and Gotham became the concrete jungle it should've been once more. This story also re-defines the relationship between Batman and Superman. The World's Finest Superheroes would never really get along in real life, and this story brought that out in wonderful fashion.

Let me begin by saying that I'm not a dedicated reader of comics. After seeing Sin City and 300 I gained an interest in Frank Miller so I decided to check out some of his work. I just read 300 and really enjoyed it, but I was not a fan of the Batman: TDK Returns.

My biggest complaint was a cause of constant annoyance while reading the series; the style. It is often difficult to follow the story because it skips around so much and because the animation is often incomprehensible. There were several times where it was difficult for me to distinguish what was happening in the story. The story itself is decent enough, but nothing special. I enjoyed a bit of the political commentary, but it was a bit over the top.



I also didn't really like the fact that the reason given for Batman retiring a decade ago was because of Robin dying, but then accepts a 13-year old girl to be his new Robin with barely no explanation. This may just be ignorance on my part since she may be a character from earlier in the series or something (never read any other Batman comics), but I'm assuming since he retired 10 years ago and she is only like 13 that this is not the case. At several times throughout the story Batman also uses guns and rockets, but then preaches to the Sons of Batman group that he leads at the end that they shouldn't use guns.



Batman is a complete hypocrite throughout the story, but it does not seem to be intended. To me, this signifies poor writing. Some of the dialogue is all right, and I did enjoy some of the Frank Miller style narration, but other than that there isn't much I enjoyed about it.

At this writing there are 321 customer reviews about this book. The overwhelming majority of them rating it with 5 stars. It's very likely this review will never be read, but I just had to have my say.

This book is so good it will almost ruin your comic reading life. I guess I was 12 or 13 when I first read this and I've reread it maybe a couple dozen times over the years. I've come to regard the book in the way that the first dose of heroin is commonly described. No matter how many graphic novels and how may collected editions I read by any writer or artist about any protagonist nothing has ever made an impression on me like The Dark Knight Returns. The very best of any other comic has only ever been a shadow of this Batman tale.

Frank Miller should get a cut of every dollar I spend on comics, since this is the dragon that I'm really chasing.

The Dark Knight Returns was written and drawn by Frank Miller, inked by Klaus Janson, and colored by Lynn Varley. It was originally published as a four-part series in 1986.

Here, Bruce Wayne is in his fifties, and he hasn't been Batman in ten years. A massive crime wave drives him back into action. There's a lot going on here: crime is out of control, Commissioner Gordon is retiring, superheroes have been done away with, the Cold War is escalating, several of the old, classic Batman villains are on the loose, and Batman's not what he used to be.

The story here is so multi-layered, so complex, and Miller does an excellent job of keeping hold of all the threads. He also does a great job of blending old, classic characters with new ones. Miller's one-page vignettes with crime victims make the story personal.

Miller likes to give us characters' internal narration of events. This works most of the time, but once in a while it's just too much ("I get sick of the arm...and kill it below the elbow."). Miller typically does this when the artwork doesn't show us all he wants it to, and he feels compelled to tell us the rest. This is the most obvious weakness in Miller's work.

Miller's art isn't pretty. It's dark, it's sloppy at times, and it's often downright ugly. But it fits the story, and it, along with Janson's inks and Varley's colors, really sets the mood. Even the layout of the panels, which are often cramped and crowded together, add to the story's smothering feel.

There's so much here, and Miller gives the reader a lot to think about. All told, The Dark Knight Returns has held up over time, and is one of the two or three greatest comic works ever created, hands down.

shows the real man behind batman and yet proves why he's the best comic character to some of us. a great graphic novel that incorporates a new robin and a reluctant batman that's doing his job and an awesome showdown with mr. superman at the end that has a great twist that'll make you appreciate batman's logic and strength even more. it's cool to see how some details are taken from the novel (and Year One) and incorporated into batman begins and the dark knight movies. this is the end of batman's career, and batman:year one is the beginning, both are must haves for any batman fan.

I've been a Batman fan for as long as I can remember. Had the toys, watched the movies a million times, the Adam West TV show, the Animated Series. I loved it all.

As a kid, I was big into comic books. I consider myself fortunate to have come of age in the late 80s/early 90s when the medium was really exploring the darker aspects of these characters people have loved for decades. Bane "breaking" Batman. The Killing Joke. Robin dying. Batman vs. Spawn. The death of Superman (a pretty big deal with my peers). Grim stuff, but I ate it up. Years passed and I eventually just stopped reading. I remained a Batman fan, but I simply got out of buying comic books. Most of what I was into is a big blur now.

In anticipation for Christopher Nolan's new Dark Knight movie, I went on a Batman binge. Trouble is, I already have most of the DVDs (and that's a lot of DVDs). What else is there?

I wasn't even aware of this book's existence until AFTER I got over comic books. How can that be? I have no idea. Apparently, it was a pretty big deal twenty years ago. Yet I was into the big deals of the time and somehow The Dark Knight Returns slipped from my grasp. I suppose I have no excuse. So, finally, after over a decade of not even so much as looking at a comic book, I ordered this (plus a few other Batman tales).

My order arrived today. I spent my evening reading the entire book. Know what? I absolutely loved it. Frank Miller has a fairly chaotic way of telling a story. He throws so many ideas into this graphic novel and not a single one of them bogs the story down or seems out of place. It's a long read (at least in my comic reading experience), but I enjoyed every minute of it. I even caught myself laughing out loud a few times. In lesser hands, this story might seem disjointed or even absurd, but Miller knows how to tell it right. Great artwork and great text. Also a lot of fun to see what became of some of Batman's rogues gallery's biggest baddies.

So, is this the book that will get me back into comic books as it did for so many people twenty years ago? I guess that remains to be seen. No matter what, I'm certainly glad I finally read this. A good story is a good story and The Dark Knight Returns excels.

That all you need as moral guides on this earth are The Dark Knight Returns, Kingdom Come (another graphical novel) and the Holy Bible. While I would probably omit the latter and include the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius or Plato's Republic I can surely concur with the first two selections as being critical in developing a tempered moral compass. While this might come off as an exaggeration, it is only barely - the three works offering quintessential guidance in times of befuddlement while also offering inspiration to trudge forward in times of injustice and betrayal. All the great questions of life are encountered by the protagonists and a righteous code of ethics is codified in response, inspiring the reader to be greater than what he was before by observing the examples of heroic conduct and so being transformed.

The Dark Knight Returns is by the standards of today primitively drawn and inked, but this fact is irrelevant as the graphics are well enough to keep our interest drawn to the engrossing moral lessons and satire. Each page of this precious work is chocked full of words and intelligently written dialogue, historically serving as the first serious "graphic novel" - an expanded literary comic that was intended to be read by adults and to have included in it serious subject matter. While most comics are centered around the plates (the art), graphic novels were supposed to be primarily stories, with the artwork intended to support and not overshadow the core writing, all originally starting off as novellas rather than storyboards. This being said, I will not hover too indulgently over the topic of the art - which is presented in stark, grimy, dark, vile environments, contemptuous caricatures of pop culture figures and lingering, desolate existential stages.

The story focuses on the question of what justice is while also (perhaps more importantly) criticizing the irrationally bellicose cold war climate and its corresponding destructive materialism, untempered indulgence and superficiality, issues which are very much still afflicting our society today as we rot in the wake of renewed imperialism and corruption. Bruce Wayne is presented not as a flawless super hero but rather as a broken and doubting latter-day Cincinnatus being summoned to once more repel the enemies of justice and civilization. Labeled a vigilante terrorist by the police and ostracized as a dangerous and unstable sociopath by the morally bankrupt public and their "expert" talking heads, the Batman heroically serves an ideal of justice in hopes of restoring reason and truth to a diseased, collapsing society bent on global nuclear destruction, all while expecting no reward and never abusing his power. Through Bruce Wayne's selfless sacrifice and devotion, the people of Gotham City are inspired by example to off their complacency and take back their city from the drug dealers, pimps, corrupt officials, thieves and rapists, all the while developing a sense of fidelity and brotherhood to one another.

Ultimately The Dark Knight Returns is about the proper conduct of a human being: even though the people around you may be corrupt and morally bankrupt, and even though they may have surrendered their faith to denial and apathy, and abandoned their community - a true man does not, even if he must be stabbed by a thousand blades in a day or swim through a lake of fire. While Bruce Wayne at times feels that his efforts to bring order to the lawless and miserable Gotham City are futile he continues to do what is just and good, in the face of all possible rejection and criticism. The reward for acting like a human being is not riches, or fame, or even respect of your peers, but rather the fleeting satisfaction in knowing that the people left in your wake would have been treated justly, and maybe, just maybe, would so be inspired to treat others with justice, breeding a righteous culture.

I picked this book up in an earlier edition when I was in high school. I was a semi-fledgling to the world of the Bat, but I found myself easily drawn into the story. It's easy to read even if you aren't as knowing of everything as others are.

The idea of a semi-apocalyptic future with no real superheroes is a grim one. The only superheroes that exist are there merely to look good and even Superman is strangely muted in this world. Nearly everything is corrupt, whether people realize it or not. It's into this that Wayne decides to take up the mantle of Batman once more & free Gotham from the crime sprees. However he's not the only one who has once again taken up his old job...


I REALLY enjoyed this book. It's one of my favorites & always will be. I loved the female Robin, the neat artwork, and the story... the story was just about perfect!

You hear so much hype from so many people about Frank Miller's 'The Dark Knight Returns', it makes you apprehensive. But you have no idea as to how right they are until you find yourself catapulted into the heart of Gotham City; a decade after the Dark Knight has hung up his cape & cowl for the last time. In my opinion, all the praise it has recieved over the ages cannot do this book justice.
In this groundbreaking epic, Frank Miller brings together an astounding story line & admirable comic-style artwork; in which he portrays an aging Bruce Wayne forced to, once again, don the familiar uniform of the Batman, to cleanse the decaying city of Gotham.
Miller deals with the rebirth of some of the Dark Knight's arch enemies, while at the same time, introducing the new menace of the Mutants; a vicious gang of criminals which had thrived & flourished in the absence of justice.
Also dealt with within its pages are essential, critical & controversial issues to the Batman universe, such as the enlisting of Carrie Kelly, the new Robin of that age, the retirement of police commissioner Gordon & the death of the Joker.
You need not be a fan of the Batman to truly admire the work of Frank Miller & this book is recommended & suitable for anyone with a craving for a good story. For Dark Knight devotees, however; Look no further, this is the undisputed holy grail of graphic novels...

Even though this was written a long time ago, it is a great read for any Batman fan. It has an amazing story and the artwork is very detailed. You can see some of the ideas from the movie Batman Begins in this novel even though it's a different story. It is something I'd also recommend to a non-Batman fan as well.

Although originally published in a monthly serial format, this compilation, or Graphic Novel, started the generation of Graphic Novels being sold at local bookstores and Amazon. It's dark, gritty, and keeps your attention throughout. Certainly not suitable for young readers, we're introduced to Batman as being truly a Dark Knight, a vigilante protecting our future by any means necessary. If you're new to the genre, here's a great place to start. I've been a Frank Miller, Batman, and overall comic book fan since the first moment I picked it up.

"This book got me back into comics..." I'm not the only one who's said those words over the last 22 years. It was 1989 and the first Batman movie was about to be released when I read it. I was blown away and realized that in my time away from comics, I'd grown up and so had comics...

Now, for anyone who has never read this... comics have continued to grow up since this was first published in 1986, so for those readers it might seam over-rated. Please realize though that at the time no one had ever done anything like this with Batman. It was groundbreaking and it's effects have "darkened" the superhero genre to this very day. Read this and then compare it with any mainsteam comic from 1986 and you will see it's superiority.

The young modern reader has read and enjoyed the waves left by Miller's Dark Knight Returns, and this IS a must read for anyone who spends too much time and money at a local comic book shop. MUST READ.

Some of the sequences are classic and well drawn, but as soon as the mutants become the major villains the book becomes too ludicrous for its own good.

I immediately stopped caring. Yes, it's gritty, but Alan Moore's killing joke is much better.

Heck, Batman: Year One is much better.

If you want good Miller read Daredevil: Born Again, Sin City Vol. 1 or Daredevil: Man Without Fear.

I gave up after about 20 pages of not being able to tell what was going on because of how terribly sloppy the drawings are.

it's not worth the time or the $.

A great storyline and take on the batman mythos, not to mention the other DC characters featured. I've never been a huge fan of Miller's art, or it would have gotten 5 stars from me.

Miller's version of Batman reflects Bob Kane's concept about the Dark Knight: a brooding, lonely crimefighter, obsessed by his parents' death.
"The Dark Knight Returns" is a cornerstone: it redefines the essence of the character, finally obliterating the facetious side of the 60's tv show.
This book inspired the first Batman movie, directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton as Batman, Jack Nicholson as The Joker and Kim Basinger as Vicki Vale!

In other words: this is a definitive "must-have" for true Batman fans!!

As a high school student, this was my first encounter with Frank Miller's unique style. I continue to appreciate the grit and grumble that this issue exudes from every spread. This treatment of the Dark Knight really does make him seem like a dark knight. I would credit this among the most effective proponents of the wave of change that swept the Batman universe making it more insightful of the man behind the mask.

The Dark Knight Returns is my least favorite of IGN's "Top 5" greatest Batman graphic novels; the list also includes The Long Halloween, Arkham Asylum, The Killing Joke, and Batman: Year One. I usually love Frank Miller's work, but this one just didn't cut it for me, for a few reasons. I didn't think the artwork was revolutionary, I thought it was a mess. The storyline was convoluted and tangential, and I never really felt invested in it. This was more of a Cold War Era "Batman is old and Superman takes on the Russians" than anything else. The thread devoted to the media's vilifying of Batman grew annoying about halfway through. Overall, I think it's a weak effort by Miller.

Having been a Marvel reader my whole life, when some one said Batman, I thought Adam West.
That changed the day(some 20 years ago now) a friend passed me his copy 'Dark Knight'.
The gritty, unapologetic writing with shades of the depression era crime novels that first inspired Batman's creation, mesh perfectly with the dark, shadowy art work to create a mood of suspense and drama rarely seen it this underappreciated medium.
The only possible complaints could be that it was such a limited run, and it has been too long with out an equally good sequel.

I read about this comic book online, and decided to pick it up.
I usually dont decide to buy things online, but took a chance on amazon, and i gotta say i dont regret a thing, i recieved it before the date was giving to me, which scored big points in my book. The seller was prompt and curtious in any questions i had. And the price was more than resonable.

Miller really blew the lid off with this one. This Novel was groundbreaking in every way. The Story and Ideas laid out here are captivating, as well as the artwork, they are quite coherent. The characters are so well developed along with the moral fiber tying it all together. I was so impressed with my first read, I've been chasing millers career ever since, and he doesn't disappoint. This Graphic Novel is a must for every person who is interested in Batman, Justice/moral struggle and or just a great story.

I'll admit at first I had my doubts about this book since I'm not such a big dc reader but once I finally started to give this book a chance I became addicted to it. Filled with great action sequences solid artwork and one downright entertaining storyline DKR will definitely quill your hunger for an awesome strange and groundbreaking storyline that is too unforgettable to miss. If you don't have this book make it yours.

The story was excellent and most of the artwork was solid. But there were several pages where the art was very poor and did not look good thats why I had to take off a star.

This is my favorite legend of the dark knight, I mean what's better than a 55 year old Bruce Wayne coming out of retirement to be batman again to take on a new set of problems like the mutants. Frank Miller created a classic that's engaging. A must buy!!!!!

I was reading the Watchmen at the same time and while I liked the story of Watchmen a hair better the art in this one kept me coming back. The story is great as well but...well I won't ruin the story...suffice to say that it left me wanting a bit more but maybe that comes in the next novel (Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again).

Frank Miller's depiction of Batman is everything I had hoped for when I ordered the book. A dark man hell bent on punishing criminals for tainting gotham city.

The story shows a different kind of Batman. He has retired since the death of his partner. After years of watching the news show a daily reminder of how the justice system fails its citizens, his comtemplation of returning is finalized by the scheduled release of Harvey Dent (Two-Face)

Batman returns fueled by rage. He knows that simply handing criminals to the police like your typical, cheesy superheroes would not make them have second thoughts about their career choices. When the police arrive to these crime scenes they find nothing but bad guys that have been reduced to piles of broken bones.

The media, who once praised the dark knight, labels him a menace for his brutality towards criminals. His return also motivates civilians to take to the street and punish petty criminals, causing civil unrest, which is also blamed on our hero.

Batman now has to take on criminals in his path and avoid the police that are hot on his trail after his arrest is demanded.

My description of the story is only the beginning. There are many twists and turns leaving you on the edge of your seat, I really didn't want to spoil the book. There are also apearances from another dc comics superhero. The novel also marks the return of Batman's arch nemesis.

You know, when talking about superheroes you always wonder why they do not have any problem such as a short suit with years or why if one is bulletproof, his boots automaticly turn bulletproof as well.

This Frank Miller Batman is really into his bad days, and has to live with his age and his weaknesses. The irony in the novel is like a warm irish cooffe that drives you through its pages slowly and kindly till the end.

Simply the best Batman I have read.

...except this is a great graphic novel. I honestly wasn't expecting it to be as good as it was. Definately one of the best I've ever read.

Batman The Dark Knight Returns is important primarily for what it meant for graphic novels in general, and how it reinvented the Batman cliches in particular. Miller took the essence of the Batman character, originally children's entertainment about a superhero vigilante exercising his own brand of justice on evil, and turned it into a much more gritty and dark story for adults. Miller works within the parameters of the traditional Batman conventions, but reshapes them to create a much darker and adult work. As a result, it's not just Batman that matures, but the comic genre itself. Batman The Dark Knight Returns is regarded as a key work (along with Alan Moore's "Watchmen") that helped establish the credibility of the graphic novel as a legitimate literary medium, thus marking a new stage of development and maturity from the world of children's comics. In that respect, Miller not only redefined Batman, but he helped define the graphic novel, by bringing adult oriented superhero comics into the mainstream.

The story-line itself sees an aging Batman, now 20 years older, do battle with the Gotham City crime scene. His enemies include the gang of Mutants, the evil Joker, but also the authorities who find his methods questionable and issue an order for his arrest. Embarrassed by Batman's success, the US government commissions Superman to take down Batman, and the story ends with an epic final battle between the two superheroes - and a clever twist, as Batman's heart-stopping death is not quite what it seems.

There are many references to contemporary culture and issues, with subtle allusions to modern TV personalities (David Letterman, Dr. Ruth), and more important themes relating to law and order, the role of the government, the cold war, the conflicts in our own inner self, and the public fascination with heros and villains. I appreciated the satire of "criminal-coddling pop psychology" and the mass media, although in the end I can't quite see this as being quite as serious a work as some make it out to be. Surely Batman is more about a gritty story than a social commentary, and perhaps it gets more credit than it deserves. Furthermore, to some extent an appeal for Batman is a matter of personal taste. Being unfamiliar with the genre and characters, I found the story hard to follow at times - although as others have argued, much is lost upon first reading, and it's best appreciated and understood the second time around. But the gritty artwork and violent narrative didn't always make obvious sense, and for the most part just didn't grab me, and in addition the numerous instances of blasphemous language certainly did nothing to enhance my appreciation for it. But while I didn't find Miller's Batman particularly enjoyable personally, I can see why it is an important work, both in terms of what it did for Batman, and for the graphic novel. Batman has grown up, and comics are no longer just for kids. - GODLY GADFLY (2007)

I'll admit, at first, I was a little put-off by this book. I enjoyed it, but it didn't set off any sparks. When I read it again a few days ago after some years gone by, then I finally realized what exactly I had in my hands. TDKR is a classic, and Frank Miller, et al, have created an epic for the ages. It features everything that is great about Batman and his world, and takes it up a notch or two. Now, TDKR is not for everybody, and I understand and respect that. I was one of those people, until I decided to give it a second chance. Now, I'm glad I did.

Check this graphic novel out. It's way cool. Awesome.

This graphic novel was a delight. I hadn't read any batman comics before this, but watched the old tv shows, live and animated versions, and the movies. This graphic novel is very deep and hooked me after the first couple of pages - as opposed to The Watchmen which took a while to get into. The story and art is very dark but interesting and involving all the same. The style of artwork is unique and stylized; I love it.

Highly recommended. Holds many surprises and monumental moments!

For anyone caught up in the excitement of the latest movie creations based from Frank Miller's brilliant mind then the Dark Knight is one for your bookshelf.
To be made into the next Batman movie in the year or so, 'Batman: The Dark Knight Returns' covers Bruce Wayne's alter ego coming out of retirement to once again fight the evils that plague Gotham city.
A must for any die hard graphic novel fan or newbie to the world of comics.
A brilliant novel.

With the exception of Alan Moore's "Watchmen", "The Dark Knight Returns" is the most highly praised work in the history of comic books. What is left to be said about this book that hasn't already been said by countless others? Everyone from comic geeks to erudite critics of popular culture hail "The Dark Knight Returns" as a landmark, a watershed, a masterpiece, and any number of other words of similarly high praise. But the thing is, they are all completely correct in these assessments. Even over twenty years later, this book still holds up as an incredible, even brilliant, work.

"The Dark Knight Returns" is not without its flaws. Admittedly, Frank Miller does occasionally enter some pretty bizarre, even surreal, territory at times with the story (particularly towards the end); the character of Batman himself is pretty much restricted to being a one-note psycho that is pretty hard to sympathize with or root for; much of the 1980s social and political commentary does indeed date the work; and finally, it's not exactly the most accessible book in the world. Those without at least a basic knowledge of Batman comics, or how graphic novels operate in general, will likely be confused and put off by the book.

However, these are all fairly minor criticisms that do little harm to the book itself, especially when one considers all the things Miller got so amazingly right. There are a thousand other reviews that summarize the amazing strengths and groundbreaking innovations of this book far better than I ever could, so I won't even attempt to do such a thing.

"The Dark Knight Returns" is easily the greatest thing Frank Miller has ever done. It is a great example of the brilliant talent he once posessed, before he became the bitter, cynical, and generally nasty artist he is today. It's unfortunate that Miller now seemingly has devoted his career to tearing down his past, and seems to go out of his way to sneer at and mock the very projects and ideas he has built his career on...but that's neither here nor there.

In short, "The Dark Knight Returns" is, in a word, essential. Essential reading for any fan of Batman, comic book fans, or enthusiasts of popular culture in general. I personally don't find this book to be the most enjoyable incarnation of Batman, or even the truest, but there is simply no denying the immense significance of this book, nor the talent and passion behind it. Simply put, a must-have.

Frank Miller's Batman has been out of circulation for ten years. He is getting old, creaky and tired. Commissioner Gordon is on the verge of retirement. A new gang of mutants has taken to the street while Gotham city is locked in interminable debates about civil rights and the place of vigilantes in society. The Soviets are menacing a small island nation, nuclear war looms and the US President (modeled closely on Ronald Reagan) dodders along. Sounds like a planet near you. Frank Miller takes all of these threads and weaves a master work of psychological insight, compelling character development and a plot full of terror and even humor. Miller and the artists who worked on this piece have reinvented Batman for adults. By letting us share in Bruce Wayne's thoughts, we get to experience the inner world of torment in which he lives. Haunted by flashbacks of his parents' the violent death and by a frightening encounter with a bat in what would become the Batcave, Bruce is a brooding, vengeful mess bursting with a deep-seated, and positively unhealthy, need to destroy evil. Yet there are some lines he will not cross. Though he will gladly break bones, nearly cripple, and even put out the eyes of his foes, he will not kill them. But his evident satisfaction at inflicting pain on evildoers is creepy, if understandable.

Other characters get the same makeover. Robin is a 13-year-old superhero wannabe with real bravery and real acrobatic skills who takes on the identity of the previous Robin (the Dick Ward who was killed in a previous incarnation of Batman) to help the Caped Crusader battle the bad guys. The Joker is a menacing figure of utter and implacable evil whose "humor" comes in the form of making people laugh...to death. Commissioner Gordon, having made his peace with Batman's out-of-the-box policing, desperately tries to pass his insights to his replacement, a by-the-book type who wants Batman behind bars.

I loved "The Dark Knight" all the way through. There is plenty of action on every page. The plot twists are generated by the B-man himself, with the reader in on the plans. Miller is respectful enough to make Batman the embodiment of all that is noble and good. But Miller is realistic to know that no man is pure, and that good deeds can sometimes flow from very dark and messy impulses. Batman, as Miller suggests, is a force for good that is both salvific and fascistic. While Miller seems antagonistic toward a civil liberties focus on crime fighting, he is not completely blind to the citizen impulse to embrace fascistic solutions to difficult problems.

The Dark Night returns is a fascinating tale that brings Batman to a new level of complexity. In this sense, Miller reflects the same point of view as Allan Moore in Watchmen, publishes about the same time inn 1986. Both works mused on the vapidity of the news industry, on heroes with conflicted psyches, on aging, on the ethics of vigilantism and on the morality of superheroes with nationalistic inclinations. There's plenty here for anyone who loves action, loves Batman and is willing to allow a master storyteller recraft their favorites hero and villains into a tales that is entertaining and thought-provoking.

Can't say I understand the whole Batman story entirely yet, but it is very compelling and well written. Very helpful for my Comic Writing Class schoolwork.

Well, it really doesn't get any better than this. I was hooked on hits from the first time I saw the cover image in a comic shop.

The news media scenes now, are pretty much right out of today, with screaming pundits on the television, American style.

The fascism and violence prompts Bruce Wayne out of retirement. Heartened by the assistance of a young girl, he plans his strategy.

He has one major obstacle.

Superman, who is now a covert special forces operative lapdog.

This book tells the return of Batman in an future where Gotham City is in peace but sudenly appears a new threat, mutants, and they are powerfull and they work like a gang of destruction, you will see the Joker, Superman, Catwoman, Two Face, etc all of them older, cracier and pitiless. Fank Miller give power to the history he is a genius, and the drawing is strange but with a lot of impact and action. If you like batman, you must have this book, and if you never read a batman comic, then when you read this one you will change your mind.

I will start by saying that I have enjoyed DC Comics and their heroes for almost twenty-five years. In particular, I have always loved reading about Batman, Robin, NightWing, and anything that was related to the Gotham crime fighting circuit. I couldn't believe that after all these years, I had yet to read what was regarded as one of the best graphic novels of all time. While on vacation this summer, I decided it was time to finally read this classic.

First, the artwork doesn't appeal to me. I know others love it and will defend how wonderful it is. That's fine, it just doesn't suit my tastes and I can get over it provided the story is good. So, is the story good? It's okay. I can definitely see why other people like it, and I appreciate the different approach Miller took to the time and setting, I felt that it was too over the top though. I found myself wondering if this was suppose to be ten years after Bruce's retirement, or forty. I also didn't care for some of the assumptions that are made throughout the story in regards to several characters' pasts. The development and appearance of "Robin" in this novel was weak and pointless, other than to provide a cheap reason for an event (that I won't spoil) that takes place near the conclusion of the book.

Finally, I felt like the book drug on way too long. The brutality of Gotham City and the Bruce Wayne vs. Batman ego struggle was beat to death in my opinion. I could have cared less about the politics of Gotham, which also was repeated time and time again. I didn't feel as though there was a decent balance between those storylines and the ones involving Two Face and Joker.

To wrap this up, I will be honest and say that I did not enjoy this masterpiece the way almost everyone else has. The futuristic story and excessively "dark" setting feel like paths I've been down too many times in too many other books. I am glad though that most seem to have enjoyed the story, it just isn't for everyone.

A friend of mine let me borrow his copy of this and I read the whole thing straight through. Now a year or so later I am buying The Watchmen and this book comes up as recommended. I can't help but buy it. Frank Miller paints an incredible revision of the idea of Batman. His art and story flow so well together. This book has helped to re-define the current definition of a graphic novel. I can't recommend this enough.

This is without a doubt, one of the finest graphic novels you will probably ever read, if not the absolute best. If you ask me, this is as honest a portrayal of Batman/ Bruce Wayne as we're ever going to get. A vigilante in every sense of the word, this older, darker Batman is preoccupied with his age and the persistent belief that he can die at any given moment. There's a believability to his internal thoughts and actions that strikes one as being completely realistic. I think that's what makes this project work so well, the fact that all of the characterizations in the book are spot on and make perfect sense. The Joker is a homicidal maniac, not some clown. Commissioner Gordon is a man who's been around for a long time and knows that once they get him out of his position, there may be no one else who can keep Batman out of trouble. Superman becomes a weapon for the government. Some other familiar faces show up and some may or may not be how you remember them to be but Miller manages to keep everything fresh and interesting.

The art takes a little getting used to but I think for the most part it works. I'm not sure how I feel about the whole mutant gang thing but those are my only trifles with the book.

In the end, I feel that this is the best Batman story I've ever read or will ever read.

Frank Miller raised the bar for comics when he released this 4-issue prestige format mini-series in 1986. It's collected here in paperback. If you're a comic book fan, this is one of two books that redefined comics for the 21st century (the other is Alan Moore's Watchmen).

There's also an "Absolute Edition" hardcover available. While it's a great-looking book, it unfortunately also includes the less-than-spectacular sequal, "The Dark Knight Strikes Again." The sequel is much more standard capes-and-tights super-hero action than the darker "Dark Knight Returns," and can be avoided by all but the most diehard fans.

This is the best Batman comic I've ever read. This book is dark,mysterious,and filled with action. This Batman is old and even more Lethal than ever. If you read Frank Miller's other work like 300 or Sin City you will love this book and read it over and over again.

if you like batman you have to read this it is cool and has a good story.
the dark knight returns is what give batman his look

I won't reiterate what other (positive) reviews have said, other than to say this: If you only ever buy one Batman book, buy Batman: Year One. If you buy two, buy Year One and this item, Dark Knight Returns. They both represent very different approaches to the character, both by Frank Miller. Miller has nailed the best of this character in two (relatively) short books, and with Super-Saver shipping you can take home both for twenty bucks or so... well worth it.

I read, read, and re-read these two over years, and like great novels they never get old.

Yep, that's right. With The Dark Knight Returns Frank Miller led legions of Batman fans into a land (long promised but never delivered) where the no-holds-barred character of Batman could be explored to its fullest extent. Miller asked the questions: What would Batman do when age and time finally turned against him, when the chips were down and his back's up against a wall, when his worst enemies have been set loose and new ones await him on the streets, when even Superman has turned against him? Here we see a Batman that takes no prisoners and fights to save the city he loves from anarchy and the annihilation of values on a grand scale. The stakes are high, higher than they've ever been before, and the Dark Knight has to draw upon all his experience and resources merely to survive. At the time that DK Returns came out Watchmen was also making the rounds, and while I might not always agree that these two comics alone heralded the New Age of Comics, I would certainly agree that their authors, Alan Moore and Frank Miller, had with their earlier seminal works (Miller on Daredevil, Moore on Swamp Thing) paved the way for dozens of literate young writers to share in the glory of the comics revolution. DK Returns contains some of my favorite hero/villain encounters, such as the confrontation between Batman and the Mutant leader, the final fight with the Joker, and even the legendary brawl with Superman (where precisely who was the hero and who the villain was unclear). Everyone who is even remotely interested in sequential storytelling and beautiful gripping art should read this, or consider yourself robbed of everthing this life has to offer. Frank Miller is a pillar of flame in the comics industry... and we his ungrateful followers.

Until I read this book, I was somewhat underwhelmed by Frank Miller's work. Year One was good, but nothing I would call spectacular. His artwork, while excellent, was not my top pick. Then I read this book. I know it's an overused phrase, but I was blown away.

This is the best graphic novel I have ever read. The story is brilliant, groundbreaking, and thoroughly enjoyable. The action is all there, but so is the drama. It plays with the questions: Can the world accept the return of its greatest crime fighter? And how does the Dark Knight handle the return himself? What are the consequences of his actions? All these questions are answered brilliantly.

The artwork here is superb. The coloring matches the overall tone of the book wonderfully. It's fast-paced, clear, and gets your heart pounding.

If you read comics (or even if you don't), buy this book. You won't regret it.

This is nice dark tale of pulp noir and crime. Frank Miller is awesome for making Batman very cold and grim. Miller shows us a new Batman with different styles and personalites. I recommend reading this graphic novel at least once. You won't be disappointed.

This is a virtual classic among Batman fans, and with good reason. This coimc, almost single-handedly, took Batman away from the "POWS!" and "NA NA NA NA NA BATMAN!" of the 60's and put him strait back into the scary and serious character he was meant to be.

Frank Miller made very interesting use of panels in this comic. Most of the panels are small while still expressing inportant emotions and thoughts. The end result was this graphic novel is PACKED with enough action and story to make a true text novel, and it will grip you the whole time from beginning to end.

Now, let me say, that I was somewhat dissappointed with the ending. The focus went away from the mean streets of Gotham (where it should have stayed), and instead shifted towards a sort of "What if" outcome of the Cold War, which then lead into a climatic fight between Superman and Batman. Don't get me wrong, I liked the Batman vs. Superman fight, but I just felt like the whole parts with the army and the Cold War were really out-of-place. This is a story about Batman and his city, so it should have stayed in Gotham city.

Despite that flaw, the story was still one of the best I've ever read. It was a wonderful story featuring a Batman who didn't pull punches and really got the job done.

I'd recommend you read it if you haven't. Especially if you're a Batman fan.